The Cache
by Orangedcgirl
Summary: A collection of SasuNaru ficlets that I've written and decided to stick here. Some AU, rating mostly Kplus, and enough sap to rot your teeth out.
1. One Winter's Night

So this is where I'll be storing all of my SasuNaru drabbles that I come up with randomly. They're too short to be all single stories, so each chapter is a new ficlet/drabblie. Reviews are encouraged, as is constructive criticism. Random flaming for the pairing will be used for making s'mores.

**Title:** One Winter's Night

**Rating:** K+

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, or bridges. Or snowflakes.

**A/N:** Inspired by a cute pic I saw once. Somewhere on Photobucket, I dunno, but it was awesome and so I wrote it. x3 Oh, and sorry if the sap rots your teeth. I swear three of mine fell out while I was writing it.

* * *

The chilly winter air nipped at Naruto's fingers as he swung them happily at his sides, then winced as one of them lost its feeling. The expression did not go unnoticed by Sasuke, who rolled his eyes and took Naruto's hand in his own to warm it up. 

"I _told_ you to wear your mittens," he sighed, rubbing his thumb across Naruto's cold skin.

"And _I_ told _you_ that I don't know where they are," Naruto huffed, swinging their joined hands and watching his breath condense in the air. "Besides. They make me look like I have no fingers."

Sasuke laughed and they walked on, along the frozen path through rows of frosty grass and naked, scraggly winter trees. Naruto hummed tunelessly, blissfully content with life in general, his tan scarf flapping wholeheartedly behind him as he half-skipped across the cement. Sasuke admired his childlike demeanor, quickening his pace to keep up with the blond's energy.

"Sasuke, look!" Naruto stopped suddenly, pointing excitedly ahead of them. Sasuke raised his free hand to his eyes to try and cut through the twilight gloom, trying to see the object of his companion's interest.

"It's… a bridge?"

Naruto freed his hand from Sasuke's and darted on ahead. "Come on!"

Sasuke followed obediently, managing to reach Naruto in time to snatch the back of his jacket and prevent him slipping off the bridge railing, where he'd been trying to climb up, and into the water below.

"Waah! Sasuke! Let me up!" Naruto struggled in Sasuke's grip, causing his purple ski cap to slip down his face. "I wanna walk on the bridge!"

"You _are_ walking on the bridge, dork." Sasuke leaned down to face-level with Naruto and pushed his cap back up. Big blue eyes stared up at him in an indignant pout.

"Not the _bridge_ bridge, the railing! It's more fun!" He pulled away and set one foot on the railing, gripping the safety bar with one hand and preparing to launch himself up.

"Wait a minute, you're going to kill yourself doing it like that."

Naruto was surprised but thankful when strong hands gripped his waist, lifting him up safely onto the skinny metal surface. He grabbed Sasuke's hand to keep balance, and stood shakily on one of the supporting posts of the side rail.

"See?" he grinned proudly, eyes shimmering with accomplishment. "I can do it!"

Sasuke nodded, smiling fondly and keeping a careful eye on his partner as he helped him steady and take a few testing steps across the railing. Naruto quickly became more daring, walking quickly on the slippery metal with the helping hand to stable him.

The night air rapidly became more bitter, the breeze not so much nipping as biting, and Sasuke saw Naruto shiver even from under his thick burgundy jacket. They finally reached the end of the railing as a harsh wind almost swept him into the river below. Naruto's teeth chattered and his fingers felt like they were going to fall off, despite even Sasuke's comforting hold on his hand.

"Okay, end of the line." Sasuke turned to face Naruto and held out his other arm to him. "Time to come down."

"I c-can't. It's t-too h-high." He shook with cold and looked at the ground in trepidation, biting his lip in fear.

"Don't be scared." Sasuke looked up at him encouragingly. "I'll catch you."

Naruto whimpered and, closing his eyes, stepped forward into empty space.

He was caught easily by strong arms and tumbled further into them when his shoes touched the ground. Sasuke held him close, trying to warm him up as best he could while Naruto tried to burrow into his black trench coat.

A cold wind swept them, and Naruto peeked out over Sasuke's arm. His eyes widened as he noticed the white haze that was settling over the park.

"Sasuke, look…" he whispered. "It's snowing!"

The delicate flakes fell slowly from the pitch-black sky, melting instantly when they touched Naruto's face and hands. He opened his little pink mouth to try and catch them on his tongue but they carefully avoided him, much to his disappointment. He pouted and buried his face into Sasuke's neck.

"…I love you," Sasuke whispered against the soft wool of Naruto's cap. The blond boy smiled, hugging his taller partner tightly. But even after a few more moments of the embrace, he couldn't do anything to suppress a formidable shiver that made Sasuke shake as well.

He laughed as Naruto frowned, embarrassed. "We should get back and get you warmed up before you catch pneumonia."

He kissed Naruto lightly on the nose and pulled away, but wrapped one arm around his lover's waist to keep him close, as he steered them back towards the city lights and home.


	2. Discovered

**Title:** Discovered

**Rating:** T, for some language and mentions of sex

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

**A/N:** This is my favorite by far, out of all of them, including the ones I've written but just haven't posted yet. I don't really know why. I just love it.

_

* * *

_

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

Sasuke stirred slightly, face buried in a pillow.

_Knock knock knock._

Naruto gave a little snore and unconsciously tightened his grip on the blue comforter.

_Knockknockknockknockknock_

Sasuke rolled onto his side and was consequently hit in the face with the blond's elbow.

"AH!" He sat up quickly, clutching his nose, tears forming in his eyes. Naruto continued to snore softly in the deep slumber of the innocent. The annoying knocking finally caught Sasuke's attention, and he slid out of the bed and pulled on his shorts that had been previously crumpled on the floor. He gently rubbed his nose, which still smarted, and glared at the sleeping blond.

"Innocent, my ass."

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

"I'm _coming_!" he huffed. "For the Fourth's sake…" He trudged out of the bedroom and rubbed at his tired eyes, crossed the kitchen, and made it to the front door. He jerked it open roughly and glared out in annoyance. Whoever it was that had disturbed him didn't deserve the courtesies usually conveyed when opening doors.

The bright sunshine from outside contrasted greatly with the darkness of the inside, and it took a while for Sasuke's eyes to adjust. He blinked, eyes still heavy with sleep, his glare softening the tiniest bit when he recognized the visitor.

"Yo." Kakashi looked down at him, his visible eye showing the slightest glimmer of surprise.

Sasuke sighed wearily. "Hey."

There was a brief moment of silence, then, "Sasuke."

The brunet looked up, mentally debating whether he'd be fast enough to shut the door and run back to bed before his sensei could pry it open again and lecture him about whatever pointless mission he was going to send them on next.

Kakashi seemed to be smirking behind his mask. Sasuke found it most curious.

"I don't mean to pry, but…" Kakashi glanced past the groggy boy into the dark confines of the room beyond. "…what are you doing in Naruto's apartment?"

Suddenly all traces of fatigue were gone, instantly replaced by panic. He'd completely forgotten they were at Naruto's place! He was so _stupid_ to answer the freaking door… "I… well, I just– What I mean, is–"

Kakashi seemed to regret asking when Sasuke's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and he choked on his own voice. He chuckled a bit and held his hands up palms-out in a gesture of peace. "Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. Just curious." He put one hand on the doorframe and half-leaned inside. "Where is the little nuisance, anyway?"

Sasuke glared at a fixed point somewhere in the distance, before finally giving an exasperated sigh and standing back, gesturing for Kakashi to enter. "Sleeping. Are you gonna come in or what?"

"Are you sure you want me to? It seems like you're having fun without me…"

Sasuke's fingers twitched on the doorframe, and Kakashi took the hint. "Fine, fine. Coming in, then."

The door closed behind them, and Kakashi made his way over to the small table in the kitchen area. He eyed the door separating the bedroom from the rest of the apartment, but an angry look from Sasuke sent him towards one of the wooden chairs around the table. He settled down with an air of amusement, sharply contrasted by Sasuke's expression of resentment and exhaustion.

Kakashi tented his fingers and smiled, trying to break the stifling air of hostility that surrounded him. "So, Naruto's asleep, hm?" Sasuke didn't answer. He was busy trying to burn a hole in the table with his smoldering gaze. Kakashi continued anyway. "Does he know it's four-thirty in the afternoon? Not a choice time to be sleeping, now. He'll have trouble falling back to sleep tonight."

Sasuke stayed silent, arms crossed. Kakashi could have sworn he saw smoke rising from a spot on the table. He tried switching topics.

"So this is where you've been sneaking off to, is it? Solves quite a mystery, Sakura's been getting quite worried when she failed to find you at home or out training…"

Sasuke turned a light shade of pink at this, but refused to dignify the statement with a response.

Tired with where their one-sided conversation was going, Kakashi decided to give it an interesting spin.

"So what have you and Naruto been doing all this time, all bundled up in this dark little apartment…"

Sasuke finally got fed up, shoving back his chair so hard it fell over and glaring death kunai at Kakashi, who regretted nothing.

"Look, it's really none of your business what we d–"

"Nn, Sasuke…?"

Both heads whipped around to face the bedroom door which had opened silently without them noticing it. Naruto stood uneasily in the doorway rubbing at his eyes, clad in only a pair of dark blue boxer shorts, hair a messy tangle of blond.

He yawned widely, then stared blurrily at Sasuke, not seeming to notice Kakashi sitting on the other side of the table. "What's all the yelling about, Sasuke? I thought I heard someone else, too…"

His eyes widened as he suddenly become aware of Kakashi, who smiled and held up his hand in a silent greeting. Naruto gave a little squeak and promptly turned red as a tomato. His hands flew to cover his mouth, and he shook in embarrassment.

Sasuke took a tentative step towards him. "Naruto…" But the blond boy quickly turned and fled back into the safe confines of his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Sasuke sighed and turned back to Kakashi, who had watched all this with quiet contemplation and maybe a little mockery.

"I'll be right back. I need to make sure he doesn't try to jump out the window, like last time…"

Muttering curses under his breath, he disappeared through the dark wooden door.

* * *

"Naruto?" 

_Ignore him, ignore him, he caused all this in the first place. _

"Come on, get out of there."

_Ignoring, becoming one with the pillows, pretending this never happened. _

"Look at me."

Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed, eyeing the lump of blankets that was Naruto hiding in shame. "Come on, you won't even let me apologize?"

"_Apologize?_" Almost unwillingly, Naruto pulled himself from his cocoon and glared at his brunet lover. Or, tried to, anyway. The best thing he could muster up was a slightly surprised, wide-eyed look akin to that of a deer in the headlights of an oncoming eighteen-wheeler. Sasuke suspected he was still stunned. "Don't you dare try to apologize! This is _all your fault_!"

He threw himself into his pillow and tried to make himself invisible.

Sasuke sighed and ran his hand through Naruto's hair, making him relax the tiniest bit. "And how is this my fault?" Besides the obvious, you know, opening the door half-naked in the apartment of the boy who no one knows is my boyfriend, and all that jazz.

Blue eyes whipped around and fixed him with a hysterical look, and when he spoke, his voice was streaked with humiliation. "If you weren't such a horny _bastard_, this wouldn't have happened in the first place! _I _wanted to go train or spar or something, but no, you just had to have your daily, didn't you? And at one in the afternoon! On a Tuesday! Damn conniving seductive sunova_bitch_…" He trailed off, grumbling furiously.

Sasuke blinked at this sudden outburst. "…Oh. Um." He patted Naruto's head, which had been laid on his shoulder.

"Yeah," Naruto snorted. " 'Um' is right." He yawned and allowed Sasuke to kiss him once before burrowing back under his blankets. "Go and tell Kakashi-sensei to go away. Then come back here. You're warm." And he subsequently refused to say any more on the matter.

* * *

Kakashi looked up and quickly stowed away his Ichi-Ichi paradise novel as Sasuke re-entered. "How's he doing?" 

"Oh, shamed beyond all reason." It was in a considerably more exasperated mood that Sasuke sat down again. He peered up through his fingers at his sensei, all pretense of formality gone.

He heaved a sigh and glanced back towards the bedroom once before speaking. "Look, sensei, is there a reason you came here? Or was it just to cause trouble? Because if that's the case, I'm just going to ask you flat out to–"

"No, no problem. I get it." Kakashi stood up and made his way back towards the front door. "Just dropped in to check on the spazz. Didn't expect to find you, too, but I guess that's just a bonus." He grinned and opened the door. Sasuke gave him a tired look that clearly said 'get the fuck out.'

"I'll be sure to tell Sakura not to worry anymore." _And Iruka owes me twenty bucks, _he thought with a smirk. "Later!"

Sasuke shut the door behind him with a sigh. He got a moment of silence to reflect on the horror of Kakashi's untimely visit, before heaving another sigh and trudging back across the tile.

"Sasuke?" Naruto's voice was muffled by the bedroom door. "Is he gone?"

"Yeah."

Sasuke paused to pinch the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. This incident would undoubtedly lead to some more awkward questions and/or confrontations later on…

"Are you gonna come back to bed? I'm cold."

…but he'd deal with those when they came. For now, he settled for a soft smile and turned the doorknob.

"Coming, love."


	3. Home

**Title:** Home

**Rating:** K+

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, or "Support Our Troops" jars.

**A/N:** This one's kind of sad, I'm not sure if I like it. See if you can get what's going on. Oh, and in my writing, Sakura is more of a Kairi-like figure to me. So that's who I thought of when I wrote this. Just so you know.

* * *

"Naruto."

"Hm?" A blond head looked up sharply, blue eyes slowly fading back to reality.

The redhead behind the register poked him gently in the forehead, causing him to blink rapidly and wrinkle his nose in confusion. "I _said_, that'll be $43.52."

"Oh. Um, sorry." Naruto glanced down once more at the picture in his wallet, the one that had diverted his attention in the first place. It showed him, grinning, wrapped in the arms of a tall, black-haired man. They were all bundled up in sweaters and scarves, with a backdrop of a snowy mountain cabin surrounded by trees. Naruto smiled at it fondly, feeling the all-too-familiar sinking in his heart when he gazed upon the face of the brunet.

He shook it off quickly, opened the second pocket of the wallet and pulled out a fifty dollar bill. The redheaded cashier took it with a concerned look. "You seem more down than usual. Something happen?"

Naruto carefully closed the wallet, placing it in his back pocket. "Nothing's happened, Sakura. Absolutely nothing. That's the problem." He rubbed his face tiredly.

Sakura handed him his change with a sympathetic look. "Still no word, huh? How long has it been now? A couple months?"

"Almost four." Naruto suppressed the emotion that swelled up in his throat when he was forced to remember. "Four fucking months with no word whatsoever. I can't handle it anymore, Sakura, I just can't. It's too hard." He gulped, then continued in a quiet voice. "It's just wishful thinking."

Sakura laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Don't say that. Everything's going to be fine, you'll see." She smiled, but Naruto found it impossible to smile back. It was too painful to pretend. Instead, he gently shrugged off her hand and dropped his change in the little "Support Our Troops" jar on the counter.

"I'll see you later, Sakura."

"Right." The redhead handed Naruto his grocery bags. "Still up for dinner tomorrow? Six o'clock, my place?"

Naruto waved a hand over his shoulder on his way out the door. "See you then."

He made his way out the automatic doors to his little black Volvo in the parking lot. After putting his groceries in the trunk, he slid into the driver's seat and pressed his forehead to the steering wheel.

He took a deep breath and tried to keep his emotions in check. Against his better judgment, he pulled out the worn leather wallet and the picture inside. He stared down at the faded snapshot, tracing his finger over the long-lost smiles on both of their faces. It had been so long, _so long_ since he'd seen that face, been held in those arms…

Naruto wiped a stray tear from his cheek, swallowing the rest that threatened to spill. He'd cried enough in the past (almost three years now, he realized with a start. Has it really been that long?) and he wouldn't let himself shed another tear over what could possibly be nothing. There was still hope. There was always hope.

But still, his heart ached for the one he loved, separated for what felt like an eternity, all because of a few stupid politicians who decided they'd had enough of peace and wanted a change of scenery, and the brunet's own idiotic search for adventure and strength. He'd ignored Naruto's attempted persuasions, that he was already strong, he couldn't leave, Naruto _needed_ him, couldn't live without him… _Sasuke…_

"You're so _stupid_…" he choked out, wiping his face on his sleeve and stuffing the picture back in his wallet. He started up the car and pulled out, trying not to think about it.

He thought about it.

Even though it had been almost three years without him, it had been almost four months with no contact whatsoever. They'd exchanged letters every couple of weeks or so, which on the whole just served to cause Naruto to become more heartbroken. Nothing was worse than having to imagine his lover's voice instead of hearing it for himself. The past three years had been hell.

But everything had suddenly stopped about three and a half months ago. No more letters, nothing. He'd called up the guy in charge of recruitment, almost in hysterics, in case he had some contact with Sasuke's division. It turns out his platoon had gone missing a month earlier. Just, gone. In the middle of a mission. Probably an ambush, the guy said. Happens all the time. Naruto had cried for days.

But it's no use thinking about that now. It's been months, if no news had come by then, it would probably never come. But Naruto couldn't keep from hoping.

He pulled into the driveway, trying as hard as he could to focus on what he was going to eat that night. He slammed the trunk and shifted the groceries to his left hand as he fished for the house keys in his pocket.

To his surprise, the door opened at his touch. Startled, he set the bag down on the front step and tentatively pushed the door open more. He always locked it on his way out. Had he been robbed?

"Hello?" He took a step inside, glancing around in the dark for anything out of the ordinary. "Is anyone in here? Hello?"

He thought he heard a scuff from the living room. Glancing around warily, he grabbed an umbrella from its stand by the door and tiptoed across the entryway, slowly approaching the doorway to the living room.

Peering through the gloom of the empty room, Naruto could barely make out a shadowy silhouette on the far end, near his picture cabinet.

"Hey! What are you doing? Who are you?" He reached out quickly and flipped the light switch, bathing the room in a dim yellow glow.

He could have sworn his heart stopped beating.

The figure turned around, black-haired and dressed in faded army fatigues, a barely-noticeable bandage on his right arm. He was holding a larger, framed copy of the same picture in Naruto's wallet, and looked at the blond with an expression of mild surprise.

"S-Sasuke?"

The umbrella fell to the floor as Naruto flew forward into the brunet's waiting arms.

"_Sasuke!_"

He felt his throat closing up, and did nothing to stop the tears this time. They flowed freely down his face, buried deep in Sasuke's chest.

"Oh my god, oh my_ god_, it's you, it's really you, this isn't a dream…" He clutched the dark green jacket for dear life, afraid that if he let go for even a moment, Sasuke would slip through his fingers and it would all turn out to be just a dream, a horrible dream. A dreaded nightmare.

"Yeah," Sasuke whispered. "It's me." He ran his fingers through the soft blond hair and held the thin body against him, trying to make up for the lack of contact the past three years.

"_How_?" Naruto whimpered. "How are you back? I haven't heard from you in so long…"

Sasuke let out a grief-ridden sigh, telling of age far beyond his twenty-two years. "It's a… long story."

"I thought you had _died_!" Naruto cried, not once relinquishing his grip on the green jacket as Sasuke lifted him up easily and sat them both down on the couch, Naruto's head cradled in the crook of his neck. "I thought I would never see you again. You have no idea how scared I was. I_ love_ you. I really fucking _love you_."

Sasuke gently dried his tears with his thumb, then kissed him on both cheeks. "I love you, too. That's why I came back. I couldn't leave you alone any longer. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into, being left by yourself for so long?"

And he smiled that beautiful smile, the one Naruto had been scared to death he'd never see again. And, for the first time in three years, his own face broke into a pure, honest smile, so happy and forgiving that Sasuke knew he would never understand what was behind it. It was too complicated for an explanation, too ecstatic for words, so beautiful it defied description. It was what he had lived for, in the heart of battle, the one thing that stuck in his mind and reminded him why he had to get through this one, why he had to _live_.

…It was love.


	4. Death Trap

**Title:** Death Trap

**Rating:** K+

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I do own a bike, though. x3

**A/N:** Written very early in the morning, literally 2am. So it's very random and scattered, as is the topic. I decided to keep it, though. It amuses me.

* * *

It was big and black. No, scratch that. HUGE and black, and pure evil. And deadly. It could kill him in an instant, Naruto knew. He was deathly afraid of it.

And Sasuke wanted him to _ride_ on it.

"Come on, Naruto. Just sit on it? You'll see, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Naruto held fast to the doorframe, shaking his head frantically and refusing to look at the monster parked in their driveway. "No."

"Naruto…" Sasuke marched up the walkway, arms spread in a welcoming gesture. But Naruto saw right through it. "Come here."

"No." Naruto shook his head again, and was too slow to avoid Sasuke's arms wrapping around him. "Get away." He pushed against the brunet's chest, but was held fast.

Sasuke kissed his neck in an enticing manner, trying to persuade Naruto to let go of the door. He had to admit, it was kind of starting to work, but he could be stubborn as a cat faced with a tub of water when he wanted to and didn't lose his resolve.

"Go away!" he whined, twisting in the tight grasp. "I'm never going near that thing, and you can't make me!"

"But why?" Sasuke asked, exasperated, trying to keep the blond from kneeing him in the groin. "What are you so afraid of?"

"Oh, I dunno." Naruto rolled his eyes as he tried to bite Sasuke's fingers. "Maybe because that thing's a fucking _death trap_!"

"It's not a death trap! It's actually very safe. _I_ think you're just a scaredy-cat."

Naruto froze. Oh _no_ he did not.

"I'm NOT!" he yelled, thrashing in Sasuke's grip. He failed to notice the smirk on his lover's face as he was released and stamped up to the pitch-black bike angrily. He tried to stare it down, frustrated when it did nothing, just sat there on the pavement. Menacingly.

Now that he was up close, it didn't look that bad. Still freaking huge, but not as frightening as it looked from far away. It was just… complicated. Lots of tubes and tanks and bits of metal everywhere, all rolled together into what he could only assume was the engine, which took up most of the underside of the bike. Two helmets as black as the paint job sat on the double seat, and Naruto looked at them with trepidation.

He gave a small start when Sasuke reached around him to pick up one of the helmets, sliding it down on Naruto's head before he could react. It felt puffy and spongy, like he'd gotten his head stuck in a Styrofoam ball. But he still wasn't going to just hop on that easily.

He folded his arms and stared at Sasuke, his pout visible even from under the UV-protected helmet lens. Sasuke took the hint and sighed, pulling on his own helmet before lifting Naruto up by the waist and plopping him down on the bike seat. He quickly threw one leg over and sat himself down as well, before Naruto had time to lose his balance and topple off.

Oh god, what did he do, what was he doing, he was going to die, this was all a horrible mistake and he'd never live to the end of it…. Oh no, if he died he'd never get to see the new Psych he recorded! AHHH, what the HELL was he doing on this thing???

As Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and screamed inside his head, holding on to Sasuke's waist for dear life, the brunet held in the clutch and pressed the electric start.

The bike roared to life, and Naruto accidentally let out a squeal of terror. It was thankfully drowned out by the god-awful noise the engine was making. This was a horrible idea, he was going to fucking _die_ on this thing. It would eat him alive, then throw him up and run over his remains repeatedly with those huge chunky tires that looked like they were carved from granite and three times as heavy.

"See, Naruto?" The blond looked up reluctantly, glad the helmet was blocking his expression of sheer terror. "Not so bad, is it?"

Naruto didn't answer, not even sure Sasuke would be able to understand him over the ear-splitting noise. He just gripped even tighter and willed the bike to stay upright.

"We're just going to go around the block, okay? So you can get used to it." Sasuke yelled over his shoulder with a grin. "Hang on!"

He gunned it and they shot off down the street, Naruto cursing all the way.


End file.
